April 15 is the traditional due date for federal income taxes. It’s a deadline so ingrained in the American psyche that the April 15 calendar date is often called, simply, “Tax Day”. In 2011, however, federal taxes aren’t due April 15. They’re due April 18. It’s because of a combination of holiday, calendars, and tax law. The change centers on Emancipation Day. Emancipation Day is a public celebration in the District of Columbia. Named a holiday in 2005, Emancipation Day honors President Abraham Lincoln’s April 16, 1862 signing of the Compensation Emancipation Act. Emancipation Day is a non-working day in the nation’s capitol but, this year, Emancipation Day falls on a Saturday. The municipality will observe the holiday Friday instead. This means that all of Washington, D.C. will be “c... 03/20/2011

BEACHWOOD CANYON This is one of a series of blogs about each of my favorite areas of the Hollywood Hills.  So watch for a blog for each of the Hollywood Neighboorhoods.  I'll include a few pictures of the area, a walking map for the location where appropriate and some rental and housing prices.  I would love your feedback, since this is my first blog, on what you like or would like to see more of or more information about.   Beachwood Canyon is located 7 miles Northwest of Downtown Los Angeles.  The community was the original Hollywoodland and we have the Hollywood sign to prove it.  When you drive up Beachwood Canyon Drive you see palm trees and the Hollywood sign. About half way up the hill you come to the original Hollywoodland entrance.     Below is a map of areas that you can walk ... 03/14/2011

Photograph taken by Robert Swetz in Hollywood California 2-10-2011 On my visit to Hollywood California last week I cam e across this billboard around Hollywood Blvd & Highland Ave. I was photographing and shooting video up and down the Hollywood Stars within the sidewalks at the “Chinese Theater” and as I looked up I saw Ken whining that he wants Barbie back. Well as long as this is the “Original Barbie” and not some new underage Barbie, Vegas Bob is OK with that! Because if Ken was dating a (New) 14-17 year old Barbie I would have to bring him up in my (New) Book … Dark Side of David www.DarkSideOfDavid.com Friday Funnies “Barbie I Want You Back!”   02/17/2011

After reaching stardom in the comedic series, “Malcolm in the Middle (2000-2006),” child actor,Frankie Muniz, decided to take a break from acting and give race-car driving a try. Now it looks like Mr. Muniz is ready to take a break from Los Angeles real estate. According to the Los Angeles Times, the 25-year-old actor has listed his 4,200-sq ft, Hollywood Hills home with a new, reduced asking price of $3,195,000. Frankie Muniz’s home was completely remodeled and now features an open-floor plan with custom cabinetry and a variety of high-end finishes including marble, granite, tile, hardwood floors, and CaesarStone countertops. Originally built in 1941, the  5-bedroom, 4-bathroom house has a professionally equipped kitchen, formal dining room, living room, and family room. The master su... 02/17/2011

The start of Vegas Bob’s vacation to Southern California started in Hollywood California at the (Chinese Theater) on Hollywood blvd & Highland ave. I spent around 2 hours taking photographs & videos of the stars on the sidewalks and more. I wanted to go on one of the tour buses that drive around viewing homes of Movie Stars and more. You could say that Vegas Bob was a little “Star Struck” while he was in Hollywood California. As I was walking over the hundreds of Stars on the sidewalks I started to wonder … “When are they mention that that they want to put my Star on the sidewalks of Hollywood Blvd. There isn’t one Star on those sidewalks that say … “Vegas Bob” … YET! Hollywood California (Chinese Theater) Movie Stars Handprints & More 02/09/2011

  Hollywood, California is well known for its colorful world of entertainment and exciting life styles! Allow me to give you some fun and interesting facts about how Hollywood came to be. In 1853, Hollywood was nothing more than one little adobe hut. However, in 1870 the agricultural community grew in Hollywood, like wildfire. Then in 1887 a gentleman by the name of Harvey Wilcox moved from Kansas to California with his wife Daeida. Mr. Wilcox purchased 160 acres of land west, where as we know it today, Hollywood was born. The name Hollywood came from a lady that Mrs. Wilcox met while taking a trip east on the train. The lady’s hometown in Ohio was named after a Dutch settlement called “Hollywood.” Mrs. Wilcox adored the name Hollywood. When she returned home she had made the decision ... 02/02/2011

If any town knows about how to put on a production and set a stage, it’s Hollywood, home of the world’s most prolific and successful movie industry. But what most homeowners do not know is that it is also possible to stage a home to help it sell faster and for a better price. There are professional home staging companies in and around Hollywood – and all over the USA, in fact – who specialize in decorating homes in such a way that they look just like the model homes that builders and architects use to showcase brand new residences.   The trouble with trying to sell many Hollywood homes is that they look too “lived in” and cluttered. The furniture might appeal to the owner and the decorative scheme might be artistic, but it might not appeal to the tastes of the typical mainstream buyer i... 01/25/2011

I was recently asked to write an article about Home Staging for AboutHollywood.com. I wasn't given a specific topic to write about, so I was free to choose what I thought was the most important thing for consumers to know about Home Staging. Here's what I came up with...Click the link below to read the full article. Price + Staging = Key to Selling Your Home in a Buyers Market Please let me know what you think! ************************************************************************************     *************************************************************************************Annie Pinsker-Brown | Stage to SellOwner & Principal Designer310-384-1084www.stagetosell.biz"We get you to SOLD so you can get on with your life!"************************************************Stage to Sell ... 01/18/2011

Ricky, Ozzie, David and Harriet Nelson Somehow I missed hearing it yesterday.  This morning my friend Judge Susan Criss told me that David Nelson died yesterday.  He was 75.  Colon cancer was the culprit. Older Americans remember the "Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet" as a network radio program (1944-1954) that made a logical transition into early television.  It was there with "Lucy," "Father Knows Best," "Our Miss Brooks," "I Married Joan," and others. What set it apart was it was the story of a real family, a real family using their real names.  And it was filmed in a studio that replicated their real-life house, down to the last stick of furniture and the what-nots on the shelves.  The first TV show was in 1952, and the series ran continuously for eleven seasons. Ozzie had been a bi... 01/12/2011

What are 10 things that we should be aware of with mold from the Center of Disease Control? 1/ Mold can be found almost anywhere in the world and mold can grow on any substance.  What does mold need to grow? One of the things mold needs to grow is moisture. 2/ In areas where there are continual moisture problems, it is not a good idea to install carpeting by water  drinking fountain areas, by class room sinks or on concrete floors with leaks or frequent condensation. 3/ Do your best to try to prevent condensation around windows, piping, exterior walls, roof and floors.  You can do this by adding insulation. 4/ clean mold off hard surfaces and dry completely.  Materials such as insulation, sheet rock, ceiling tiles that have mold on them may need to be replaced. 5/ clean and dry any damp... 01/11/2011

Hollywood, CA - Yep. If you've ever had a sixteen day hold on your check... If you've ever waited in line for fifteen minutes, watching the person at the window in front of you roll six rolls of pennies together... If you've ever been hit or given a door ding in the parking lot by an irate soon to be ex-customer... And banks... it appears, now really suck at proving they own the paper on your mortgage. So says Massachusetts. And the results are more pain all around. Mess mess mess. With all the bailouts, with all the broken promises, with all the fat cat Wall Street bonus stories, with all the ugly curtains in the lobbies it really is one for the little guys. I'm not for anyone being able to stay in their home indefinitely without paying the debt they volunteered for... It's not right ... 01/08/2011

Visit the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Hollywood, California! The Hollywood Forever Cemetery is a place where everyone can pay homage to the classic movie stars, who left this world long ago! The cemetery was once known as the “Hollywood Memorial Park Cemetery” when it was founded in 1899. The cemetery became run down in the latter part of the 20th century. This beautiful resting place for those who passed on long ago, was on the verge of bankruptcy until a gentleman by the name of Tyler Cassity of Forever Enterprises, stepped up to its rescue. Tyler Cassity renamed and restored the cemetery for what it is today as the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, in 1998. During the summer, movies are screened at the cemetery at a gathering called Cinespia. Thousands of people gather together with bea... 01/04/2011

Hollywood CA - When homeowners negotiate directly with a bank for loan modification it's not often they realize just how sneaky the bank can be. On the other end of the phone, at the very least, is a trained employee whose job is to get money from the homeowner, you. At the most they are a savvy and skilled negotiator with a few tricks up their sleeve to help you further empty your wallet. So you are a go getter who has had a few set backs and your mortgage payments are late. Like millions of current Hollywood real estate owners you find that your loan is a little heavy on the payments and your house value is a little light on measuring up to the loan amount. Understanding the process of loan modifications you decide to call the lender looking for a solution to this problem. You know yo... 01/04/2011

Visit the historical Samuel Freeman house in Hollywood, California! The Samuel Freeman house was built in 1923. The house was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. This beautiful home’s structure is one of the four textile block house in Los Angeles that was designed by Wright. The USC School of Architecture acquired the Freeman house in 1986. In 2005, a stabilization project was completed that was funded through FEMA. At this time, due to earthquake damage, the Samuel Freeman house is still in need of a full restoration! For more information regarding the Samuel Freeman house please visit the link below: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Freeman_House What a great piece of history! CHEERS 12/30/2010

  So you would like to see the stars and I am not speaking of the celestial ones in the sky! Not sure where to go! Why not visit all of your favorite stars in the same place at Madame Tussauds in Hollywood, California. There you can visit the life like wax figures of your favorite celebrities and even learn about Madame Tussaud herself.  Visitors can take tours and see how the wax figures are created. At Madame Tussauds you will get to step into 200 years worth of fame. For more information regarding Madame Tussauds please visit the link below: http://www.madametussauds.com/Hollywood/Default.aspx What a great way to get up close to your favorite stars without having to speak to them! CHEERS 12/21/2010

The luxury housing market in Los Angeles still has plenty of zest.  The highest-priced sale in the nation took place in Bel-Air this year.  A 48,000-square-foot Versailles-style estate sold for $50 million. Another record was set in the Hollywood Hills when actor Sacha Baron Cohen paid $18.9 million on a villa there. The highest priced transaction in that area. These high profile deals are not only great for those involved but also for society at large.  During the down cycle of the 1990’s, the turnaround in the luxury market was the first indicator of recovery. If mansion prices continue to make a recovery like those two trophy deals, then we could be seeing the end of this slow market.  Los Angeles has so many beautiful luxury homes for sale and their deals could be signs of more wide... 12/16/2010

  Get out and dance at the Vanguard in Hollywood, California. This nightclub is designed to provide the ultimate dance club experience! The main ballroom of the Vanguard is huge and a balcony overlooks the dance floor with three large bay windows. The stage itself is set up with a large video screen for your musical and dancing entertainment! When you need a breath of fresh air from all the excitement, escape to the Asian-themed outdoor patio! For more information regarding the Vanguard please visit the link below: http://www.vanguardla.com/wafform.aspx?_act=profilepage&Profile=758&_pky=1 What a great way to burn some calories and have fun at the same time! CHEERS 12/15/2010

  Spend the evening dancing and eating the night away at the Kress in Hollywood, California. This fun and hip venue provides you with an upscale dining and entertainment experience! The restaurant is lead by Executive Chef Angel Guzman with a California menu. Yummy! There is a basement level lounge that provides you with live entertainment and a dance floor. Of course, let’s not forget the rooftop lounge area, which gives you the view of the city! If this sounds like a fun filled evening, start making your reservations! For more information regarding the Kress please visit the link below: http://www.thekress.net/ If this sounds like a fun filled evening, start making your reservations! 12/14/2010

  This amazing building that looks like a bunch of records stacked on top of each other with a needle on the top is one of Los Angeles’s unique historical landmarks! This wonderful treasure of a place was designed by Welton Becket. The tower was constructed and completed in April 1956. The Capital Records Building or The Capital Records Tower was the world’s very first round building that was designed and created. Believe it or not, the design of the Capital Records Building was not intended to look like a stack of vinyl records. It was just a coincidence that it does even still today! For more information regarding the Capital Records Building history please visit the link below: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capitol_Records_Building What a great piece of history right in our very own ... 11/23/2010

The Hollywood Christmas Parade brings Santa to town on Sunday 11/28/2010 The Hollywood Christmas Parade has been an American tradition for more than eighty years! This year, the parade benefits Marine Toys for Tots and take place the Sunday after Thanksgiving at 6pm. The 2010 Grand Marshall of The 2010 will be Larry King (CNN’s Larry King Live). Ok, it’s not the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade or Pasadena’s Rose Parade but The Hollywood Christmas Parade is our own local festive event complete with a ton of celebrities, marching bands, floats, equestrians, giant balloons and general merriment. I’ve always enjoyed this parade from the curb- walking alongside and following the bands (my favorite part)! You can come early and plant yourself on the curb. Curbside seating is FREE and available all... 11/19/2010